Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH
The Polish defence ministry has attacked the PZL-Mielec Iryda jet-trainer programme as a waste of public money, questioning the cash-strapped manufacturer's ability to produce an aircraft in this class.
The ministry of national defence says that the $300 million which has so far been pumped into the programme, which could have been used to buy "a dozen or more" Western-produced fighter aircraft.
The Polish air force has a requirement for a multi-role combat aircraft to replace ageing Russian types, but faces serious funding difficulties.
The ministry says that the Polish air force still needs something in the class of the Iryda, but although Mielec is now upgrading the aircraft in an effort to meet military technical and tactical requirements, the ministry is beginning to feel that the company "is not capable of building an aircraft of this type". Recently appointed defence minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz talks of the programme "with some bitterness", says the ministry.
Iryda chief designer Marek Potapowicz says, however, that the Iryda M-96 upgrade programme looked as if it would meet air force needs, but progress has now ground to a near-halt. The upgrade began in April 1996 following air force complaints about the aircraft's performance, and has now stalled over arguments with the ministryabout how to proceed with flight testing.
Potapowicz says that in an upgrade of this kind the customer would usually carry out flight trials for certification, and this is what was agreed between the manufacturer and the Government. Now, however, the ministry seems to want an initial flight-test programme by the manufacturer before qualification testing by the military - as would be done with a completely new aircraft - but is unwilling to pay the extra cost.
The ministry believes that the extra testing is needed because the upgrade programme - which includes the addition of leading- edge root extensions, wing and fin modifications as well as new avionics - is so extensive. This would delay certification of the aircraft beyond the end of the 1997 deadline, and would require a complete reworking of the upgrade agreement with the Government, says Potapowicz.
He adds that the prototype has been flown nine times, and performance so far suggests "with 80% certainty" that the modifications meet the requirements set by the air force. For now, the prototype remains grounded until the conflict with the ministry is resolved, although Mielec is continuing with ground tests.
Potapowicz disputes the cost figure quoted by the ministry. "On the one hand they say they are not placing orders because they have no money, on the other they say the [aircraft is] no good -but when they are asked to define requirements, they fail to take costs into account," he says.
Source: Flight International